Phillipsburg herald. [volume] (Phillipsburg, Kan.) 1882-1905, 1887-12-02
The PRECIOUS SPY-GLASS.

"That's Just the best glass that ever
sailor-man clapped eyes to" said bluff
Capt Marin, as, seated In his snug
cabin I took from q rack a big, old
fashioned ships spy-glass, or telescope,
bearing a silver plate with inscriDtion:
The English Government presented
my old father, Captain of the clipper
ship Martha Washington with that
glass for saving British crew at the
risk Of his own vessel It's the most
precious thing / have on earth, except
my wife aud my ship-and it saved me
from dying by the rope on the gal
lows. The Captain took the instru-
ment from me and patted it lovingly as
he nursed it in his arms.
Give US the yarn, Capt."
Well, 1 don't mind-maybe you can
make q story ont OF it.
II was board ship with father until
he died-mOther had gone three years
before. had no relations, few friends
I thought I'd try a land cruise, so I
packs this old glass with my little dun
mage and hoofs of for the Yankee
States.
"Upnear the Canada line I got work
with q farmer. i knew nothing Of
farming, but was tall, stout, strong, and
willing, just q, and hearty as live oak.
was on that farm at Round Lake for
over a year, and folks got to like me
very we'll There was one L liked more
than we'll; that was Jean, the adopted
daughter of an old Erenchman, named
Bazine. who, with his vile AMI nephew
lived in a very lonely old house down
on the lake shore. Jean was as trim
built a little craft as ever carried tidy
rigging. 1 made chase al or first sight
of her, and sometimes she showed signs
OF weakening. She was lightning for
work, and old AIonseer and lIissis Bl-
zine didn't encourage any one that they
thought might take her away. Besides,
they wanted their sullen, round
shouldered, bad-eysd nephew, Peter
Carter. to marry her.
NO one knew anything of old Ba-
zine. except that he came there several
years before. He would answer no
questions He must have been rich
once, for he had "a great sideboard coy
cred with heavy, Old-fashiOned silver
plate. But he was misery now aud
cranky in his ways of farming. and in
all things else. The people were sure
he had lots Of money hidden in his
house. for he often paid for goods in
foreign gold coin.
"Jean and got to meeting in the
early evenings, and was certain she
cared for me. But one night, after all
day in the harvest feld-we used to
have whisky then-what 1 drank
went to my head; my legs were steady,
but 1 felt the liquor and showed it.
The old stubborn in me walked up an6
I walked right to old Bazine's house
and asked to see Jean.
afnha old man 74awaH and fOra and
gave me a good cursing, L paying him
back in the same
Finally Jean put in an appearance.
and showed she was mad at me for
coming to the house, and also for being
half, or more, drunk. What she said
riled me. and turned on my heel and
left.
Il felt pretty bad that night. was
mad still, and vet ashamed of myself
I was up at first crack of dawn, and as
soon as it was sun-up 1 goes with this
old spy-glass to a rock from which ]
could see BaZine's house and all its sur
roundings about a mile away. This
was the only point about from which
such sight could be obtained I had
discovered it by accident, and I used to
lay there in the early evening and
watch through the glass for Jean to
come out of the house and make for
our meeting place.
II watched to see her come ont that
morning. at milking time. intending to
hurry over and try TO square matters
with her, for had concluded to leave
and 60 to sea again for a while. But
she didn't come out, for the reason, as
I found long after, that when left the
night before old Ba2ine had abused me
until she stood up for me, then he
turned on her and struck her. and she
had left the house at once and gone to
q girl friend two miles away. I saw
some things through this glass that
morning, but thought nothing of them
at the time. When my boss showed up
at breakfast I demanded my wages
was going to leave at once-wOuld give
no reason. I was paid and hurried
away feeling mad at myself and all
creation. walked TO the town. took
the stage, went to the railroad and
rushed for New York, where I shipped
at once on a packet bound for Cali
fornia. and we sailed the same evening.
This was in 40. mind you.
I'VE went round the Horn and made
port all safe. Then I got the gold
fever and struck OF for the mines.
Four years / worked, and at the end
was only about 81 uOO ahead i lOnged
to 90 back to civilization for q while,
and 1 started for the only place on
land where could hope for a welcome
Round Lake; 1 wanted to hear some
thing Of Jean, too
AZ reached there, surprised my old
uoss. VINO SAID he had heard / wa
dead BE invited me in, though some
how he didn't seem very hearty in hi
welcome. 1 sat there an hour when in
comes two constables, claps irons on
me, and shows me a warrant for my
arrest-for murder of old Monseer and
AIissis Bazine.
@Of course kicked and swore :
'tWern' no good I landed IN the town
jail There 1 heard the first / knew
Of the matter. it seems that ahout
o'clock on the morning I left Round
Lake so suddenly Peter Carter had
rushed to the nearest neighbors aud IN
formed them that the old couple had
been murdered, their bodies carried
OF, and the house robbed. lie had
-lept with a friend, ha said, about q
mile SWAY. jean had eft and the old